Bicyclist

[monsoon]

Actually I believe that now in Mecklenburg, all of the municipalities require sidewalks on both sides of the streets in new subdivisions.

[atlrvr]

That is a fair point. I was referring to more developers though and the way the make neighborhoods these days with only one or no sidewalks.

Do you think without government regulation that they would build any sidewalks? The facts are evident. Find one sidewalk in a neighborhood built by private money in Charlotte between 1950 and 198(?) when the city started requiring sidewalks on one side of non-cul-de-sac streets.....I'll save you the time, they were built on less than 1%....even the portions of Dilworth and Myers Park built post-1950 didn't (and some still don't) have sidewalks.

I'm very pro property rights, but I'm also realistic enough to know that sometimes the positives of regulations far outweigh the free-market, which as an eocnomic model works fine for short term consumerism, but is a scary thing when the results permenantly affect an entire populations quality of life.

[redbaron702]

Question:

If talking on the cell phone while driving is supposed to be so dangerous, why is talking to others while you Bike ok?

[reverbandwhiskey]

Question:

If talking on the cell phone while driving is supposed to be so dangerous, why is talking to others while you Bike ok?

it isn't. What you have to remember is that drivers don't have a monopoly on morons.

[redbaron702]

hahaha. Good one.

Another point that I heard today, which is very good, is that bicyclists do not contribute one iota to the upkeep of the roads they use meaning that while drivers pay gas taxes, license tax, state tax, tax, tax, tax..bikers do not pay anything yet they demand to use the roads.

Interesting point.

[orulz]

That sounds like a reasonable argument but think about it for a second and you'll realize it for the meaningless bellyaching that it really is.

Bikers cause essentially zero wear and tear on the roads compared to cars. A 15 pound bicycle plus 150 pound human at 20mph is much, much friendlier on asphalt than a 3,000 pound car plus 200 pound human (he's fatter because he's not getting any excercise, haha) at 45mph.

If you want to annualize how much wear and tear, dollarwise, I cause on the roads when riding my bicycle, and then make me pay for it in the form of an annually-renewed license on my bicycle, then go right ahead. It'll be trivial, I'm sure. If everybody rode bicycles, then road maintenence and widening would basically be a non-issue.

And regarding talking on a bike. Of course it's dangerous if a cyclist were biking and talking on a CELL - one less hand to control the vehicle with. You don't hear too many people trying to ban conversation in cars, so why should we try to ban it on bicycles, too?

[Jettanout]

but let's remember, we are a country of fat and lazy slobs who prefer convenience to exercise and work.

why ride when i can drive? why cook when i can order in? why work out when i can buy a pill or have a surgery?

do you know how hard it is to find decent size 30 dress pants now that the average american waste size is 32-34?

man, i really wish people would go outside and do something other than glue themselves to the TV. but, i digress.

[orulz]

do you know how hard it is to find decent size 30 dress pants now that the average american waste size is 32-34?

Hey dude, I take exception to that... I wear 32's and I'm thin as a rail.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Hey dude, I take exception to that... I wear 32's and I'm thin as a rail.

yea that's my size too.

but I drive a SUV (or 'SAV' as its branded). I don't bike.

I try to drive very safely around the cyclists, and keep and eye out for them. Their presence on the road doesn't bother me. I don't have anywhere to go, I'm in no hurry.

[reverbandwhiskey]

hahaha. Good one.

Another point that I heard today, which is very good, is that bicyclists do not contribute one iota to the upkeep of the roads they use meaning that while drivers pay gas taxes, license tax, state tax, tax, tax, tax..bikers do not pay anything yet they demand to use the roads.

Interesting point.

An interesting but flawed point:

A variety of funding sources - including property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, and fuel taxes - are used to pay for road construction, maintenance, traffic law enforcement and emergency services. Government may distribute roadway costs among Citizens in whatever way the electorate deems fair, for example placing the greatest burden on those Citizens who travel the most, pollute the most, require the most expensive facilities, create the greatest danger to others, or do the most damage to roadways. But under no circumstances does this cost distribution or the fuel efficiency of one

[Jettanout]

Hey dude, I take exception to that... I wear 32's and I'm thin as a rail.

I was joking man. Just wanted to get some responses

[LightenUp]

As someone who likes to both drive and ride my bike, I have one request for the cyclers out there...

Make sure we can see you! Lights, reflectors, etc... I go to the gym at about 5:30 AM each day, and there are lots of cyclers out that don't have these things.

Its really hard to see you inbetween the streetlights, and I'd hate to accidentally hit someone.

Just make sure we can see you!